The Devil Himself
by Shinigami's Lullaby
Summary: Against her better judgment, Mikan Sakura strikes a deal with the Devil himself, Natsume Hyuuga. In order to awaken from a coma, she must prove to him that her life is worth saving in one short week. But what happens when she doesn't want to leave him? NM
1. To Live or Not to Live

**Disclaimer: **Gakuen Alice isn't mine.

**The Devil Himself**

_City of the dead  
at the end of another lost highway,  
signs misleading to nowhere.  
City of the damned,  
lost children with dirty faces today,  
no one really seems to care._

_-Green Day's 'Jesus of Suburbia'_

**Prologue: To Live or Not to Live**

"Mikan, honey, I've told you millions of times, coffee is bad for your health and I will not allow you to drink it!" A tall woman with short honey-blond hair gripped the steering wheel of her Hyundai tightly.

"But Yuka-" The teenage girl in the front seat protested hotly, stuffing her cold hands deeper into wool pockets in an attempt to escape the suffocating winter chill.

"Mom, Mikan. Call me mom. I'm your mother."

"Whatever. All of my friends drink it, though. I don't want to be the odd one out, alright?" The girl, Mikan, pouted beseechingly at her mother, who turned to look at her calculatingly.

"Well, maybe we can work out a deal, if you insi-"

"Mom!" Mikan shout as a bright light emerged from the gloom directly before the car, "Truck!"

Screeching wheels, impact, crunching glass, and then…nothing.

Mikan wandered alone through a dewy, suffocating mist, thoroughly confused. Where was she? She could only remember the sound of a crash, and then this nothingness. "Yuka?" she called out, voice muffled, into the white mist. "Mom?" Her voice began to shake as she heard no answering sounds.

She wandered for what felt like hours through the mist, following warmly glowing lights into the distance until something emerged from the gray mass. A wooden door. She reached for the brass knob and stepped into what appeared to be an air conditioned waiting room. The walls were lined by gray chairs, no plants, and gave off the utterly businesslike vibe prevalent at most work places. Two doors, one black and the other white, flanked a receptionist's desk at the other end of the room.

A girl who looked to be about Mikan's age sat behind the desk, typing away at her computer without bothering to look up at the intrusion. A plaque clearly engraved with the name "Hotaru Imai" sat before her. "Please take a seat; someone will be with you in a moment," the girl droned softly, not looking up. Mikan couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something oddly mechanical about the girl.

"Where am I?" Mikan asked, plunking down onto a nondescript plastic chair. Deep down, she knew she should be scared, but something about the room put her to peace. Maybe it was the businesslike attitude with which the girl at the front desk had spoken to her, or the slight aroma of the outdoors diffused throughout the room. Whatever it was, she was immensely grateful.

"The Crossroads." And with that, Mikan's feelings of inner peace committed suicide, flying straight out a nearby (and nonexistent) window.

"W-What? You mean I'm going to die?" Mikan cried, jumping up from her seat.

"Your choice." The girl deadpanned, still typing. The incessant clacking of keys began to grate on Mikan's nerves. She slumped back down; she had a sinking feeling that resistance, or even further questioning, was futile. Talking to that girl felt like talking to a brick wall.

Minutes later, the two doors on either side of Hotaru's desk swung open in tandem. Two men, or teenagers rather, stepped out, one in all white and the other in all black. The white one boasted magazine worthy blond hair and sky blue eyes. The other's tousled black hair hung over his startling crimson eyes.

"Mikan, I'm Ruka Nogi," the white one began, "You probably know me as "God." This is my associate Natsume Hyuuga, the "Devil." He gestured to the one wearing all black. Mikan clutched at the armrests of her seat in disbelief; these teens standing before her were God and the Devil? They looked like they were her age! Or, on second thought, perhaps a year or two older.

"We're quite a bit older than we look." Ruka smiled benevolently at Mikan as if he had read her mind.

"Listen carefully, little girl, your life depends on this." The Devil, Natsume, shifted on his feet. He stood at least two inches taller than Ruka.

"You are in a coma, Mikan," Ruka said, "And I could help you pass on painlessly to heaven."

"Or," Natsume smirked, "I can send you straight to hell..." Tears welled up in Mikan's eyes. Wasn't the choice obvious? Still, she didn't want to die.

Luckily for her, Natsume wasn't quite finished, "…unless you can convince me that your puny life is worth saving. If you can give me five good reasons in a week, you'll awake from your coma good as new." Mikan internally weighed her options. Eternal happiness versus eternal torment with a small chance at life. Was that sliver of possibility even worth it? Mikan's subconscious peppered her with images of her two best friends, Anna and Nonoko, as well as her mother. She couldn't just leave them behind, could she? Mikan realized then that she'd already made up her mind. She wasn't ready to give up on life just yet.

She looked up - Ruka stood patiently, whereas the Devil was frowning, still shifting on his feet as if he had better things to do. _Oh God, or, uh, Ruka? What in the world am I getting myself into? _"I want to live!" Mikan blurted out, covering her mouth the second the words escaped. She hadn't wanted to sound quite so…pushy.

"Very well," Ruka smiled almost pityingly at her, before disappearing behind the white door.

"Come on, little girl," Natsume motioned for Mikan to follow him, "Imai!" he shot back over his shoulder just as he opened the black door, "Stop bothering me with these cases, Nogi can deal with their sniveling asses." And, for the fifteenth time in the last two minutes, Mikan cursed her luck. This morning she had been planning out her sixteenth birthday party in painstaking detail and now, against her better judgment, she'd just struck a deal with the Devil himself.

"To be fair, I should tell you that I've never returned anyone to Earth." Natsume looked straight at Mikan, eyes piercing, as he motioned for her to join him in a black marble elevator. "Good luck, little girl, you're going to need it." He smirked and then turned to face the closing doors.

Mikan watched as the elevator doors clicked shut excruciatingly slowly, despairing over her lost future. _Goodbye cruel world!_

**TBC**

**Author's Note: **Not exactly sure where this came from, I got the idea in the middle of the desert in Utah. Vacation can do strange things to a person... Anyway, thanks to Romantically Loveless for helping me gather the courage to publish this. :) Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it. Please review and tell me what you think! Revised January 2, 1011.

xoxo,

Shinigami's Lullaby


	2. Iridescence

**Disclaimer: **Gakuen Alice isn't mine.

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**The Devil Himself**

_Starry nights, city lights coming down over me,  
Skyscrapers and stargazers in my head.  
Are we we are, are we we are the waiting unknown,  
This dirty town was burning down in my dreams,  
Lost and found, city bound in my dreams._

-Green Day's "Are We the Waiting"

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**Chapter One: Iridescence **

_"To be fair, I should tell you that I've never returned anyone to Earth." Natsume looked straight at Mikan, eyes piercing, as he motioned for her to join him in a black marble elevator. "Good luck, little girl, you're going to need it." He smirked and then turned to face the closing doors._

_Mikan watched as the elevator doors clicked shut excruciatingly slowly, despairing over her lost future. Goodbye cruel world!_

The elevator door slid open and Natsume stepped out onto the black marble floor. He turned to Mikan and began to speak. "To be completely honest, this is a game to me. As in any game, there are stakes, in this case, your life. Don't forget this. I am _not_ on your side." With that, he stared the brunette down calculatingly, crimson eyes flashing briefly with indiscernible emotion. Mikan frowned. Remorse? As quickly at it had appeared, the emotion faded into an expressionless mask. He smirked briefly, and then walked away, hands in his pockets.

_What a jerk!_ Mikan thought, _Devil indeed. But I have to make him like me, so I need to play nicely..._

"Mikan Sakura?" A boy who looked to be in his early teens stepped out of a mirror to Mikan's left.

"W-what?" _Did he just walk out of a mirror?_

"I'll be your tour guide, welcome to Hell!" The brown-haired boy smiled. "My name is Kokoyomi, but you can just call me Koko."

"Koko..." Mikan repeated slowly.

The teen before her grinned cheerfully, "Yup! Right this way." He turned and strode purposefully down the hall. Mikan shadowed him closely, listening as he continued. "First off, you should know that you are a no-star. You haven't given Natsume any reason to save you yet." He dug around in the pockets of his black hoodie and pulled out a jewelry box. Turning to Mikan, he flipped open the lid and gestured for her to take the object inside. Nestled within the black velvet case was a silver bracelet. Mikan touched it hesitantly before pulling it out and wrapping it around her wrist.

Koko snapped the box shut and stuffed it back into his pocket. "Each time you prove yourself to Natsume, he'll give you a star for that bracelet. If you don't have five stars by the end of the week, well..." He drew a finger across his neck and grinned raucously.

Mikan didn't find the situation very amusing. "Aren't you to… happy to be in Hell?" She asked, fiddling nervously with her new bracelet. She couldn't seem to get it off.

"Nah, with Natsume-bastard in charge, things here are pretty informal." Koko ran a hand through his hair, only succeeding in making it stand even more on end, and nodded down at Mikan's bracelet, "That won't come off until the end of the week."

"Why?" Mikan tugged even harder at the bracelet.

"It's a representation of your contract with Natsume, so you don't forget that you're his."

Mikan frowned. "I'm his?"

"Yup!" Koko winked, "His to do whatever the hell he wants with until the end of the week. Don't let his attitude get to you; it's not really his fault. Anyway, luckily for you, as of right now, Natsume only expects you to cook for him tonight, seeing as he scared another cook away."

"Another?" Mikan echoed. And she had entrusted this man with her soul?

"Well, he's kind of a picky eater." Koko shrugged sheepishly. "What can you do, the guy's the Devil. Anyway, this is your bedroom. Dinner's at 8:00 sharp, don't be late!" Koko opened a nondescript wooden door, shoved Mikan in, and retreated into a mirror across the hall.

The brunette turned and sighed in dismay. Whereas the hallways were lined with marble, her room was small and dingy. She brushed cobwebs aside as she made her way across the wooden floor, wearily sinking down into the bed. Would she ever get home? What happened to her mother? Did she even survive? Shaking these thoughts from her mind, Mikan fell into an uneasy slumber.

She awoke later with absolutely no idea of the time; her watch had stopped ticking the second she stepped foot out of the elevator. She hadn't really thought much of it at the time, but now she was beginning to wonder about the existence of time in hell. What if time had stopped completely? Would she be stuck here forever? Mikan shivered lightly and pinched herself, attempting to concentrate on the task at hand.

Seeing the tell-tale blue alarm-clock glow, Mikan looked around for the device. She gasped when, looking up, she realized that the glow was coming from insects that were embedded in the ceiling, iridescent wings flapping. Deciding that during her time in Hell she would most likely see many strange things, Mikan ignored the insects and padded across the room, prying two wooden boards off of the windows. If it was still light out, she would probably have a few hours until she needed to go down to make dinner.

Dust billowed up as the now open window allowed a cool breeze into the room. Mikan stuck her head out of the window and drew back in, confused. This was not at all how she had imagined Hell would look. She had been braced for flames and pitchforks. Instead, she looked out upon suffocating inky blackness. She could see nothing in the sky except for one weakly twinkling star. The building - castle- seemed to extend on forever below her, devoured by a black pit of nothing. She stuck her head back out the window and gazed up at the castle spires piercing the darkness. What an odd place...

Jerking backward quickly, Mikan groaned as she smacked her head on the windowsill. It was already dark and she hadn't even started cooking! She careened out into the sconce-lined hallway, sprinting in the opposite direction of the way she had come earlier with Koko. Her footsteps echoed off of the dark marble floors as she rounded the corner and found herself in a dining hall. A fire crackled at the hearth on the opposite side of the room; a silhouette stood before it.

Recognizing Natsume, Mikan slapped herself on the forehead. Whose stupid idea was it to go to sleep? She was already going to make a bad impression.

A husky voice echoed across the room. "You're ten minutes late." The form turned, and Mikan gulped.

"I'm really sorry! There wasn't a clock in my room, and I didn't know where the kitchen was, and I fell asleep, and did you know that there are bugs on my ceiling?" Mikan babbled, stumbling forward to the table.

"You really _are _an idiot, aren't you." Natsume stopped before her.

Mikan took a step backward and bumped into the table behind her. "I really _am_ sorry."

Natsume crowded her against the table and then leaned down until they were nose to nose. "You better watch it, little girl or it'll be Game Over before you know it." He smirked down at her before turning and disappearing into a gilded mirror hanging on the wall.

Blushing, Mikan shivered as Natsume disappeared, taking with him his body heat.

**tbc**

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**a/n: **Updated after (gasp) five months! Yay me :D I've been ridiculously busy, and I've only had time to write oneshots, so I apologize for the long wait and this chapter's shortness. I can assure you that Chapter 2 will come out in a more timely manner.

Thank you to the reviewers of the last chapter: Romantically Loveless, Easily Written, mikanxnatsume1228, Shiro-Tenshi563, XxblackwingsxX, -simplytired23-, XxMEOWxMeWxX, crimsoneyes44, Alwaysbetheir, Jing, AnimeChixta7, Mizuki hikari, kimmiiee, Shubhs, Sweetest Wishes and Passionfruitsmoothie ---- I love all of you!

So please drop me a review and tell me what you think! Revised March 23, 2010.

~SL


	3. Mr Devil

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gakuen Alice.

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**The Devil Himself**

You would not believe your eyes  
If ten million fireflies  
Lit up the world as I fell asleep

'Cause they'd fill the open air  
And leave teardrops everywhere  
You'd think me rude  
But I would just stand and stare...

I'd like to make myself believe  
That planet earth turns slowly  
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay  
Awake when I'm asleep  
Because my dreams are bursting at the seams.

-Owl City's 'Fireflies'

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**Dedicated** to **Cookie Craze** for indirectly inspiring this chapter  
with her very nice and funny review. Thank you :D

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**Chapter Two: Mr. Devil**

Mikan made and ate dinner alone that night by the flickering firelight, which mysteriously dimmed once Natsume left the room. As her plate clattered into its slot in the dishwasher, Mikan noted that Hell boasted an extremely well-equipped kitchen. Contemplating the stainless steel refrigerator, Mikan thought fondly back to her kitchen at home, cheery pink cabinets and all.

She looked out the paned window and smiled as the single star winked down at her. Her smile turned down into a puzzled frown as light began to spill out of the star, illuminating a shimmering pathway. The light pierced the window before her; the glass panes rattled, the window shattered and beige curtains flew backwards as a figure, shrouded in rippling color, alighted on the windowsill. The startled brunette blinked slowly and wiped tangled hair from her eyes.

The figure, a girl who looked to be about Mikan's age, jumped down from her perch and strode forward purposefully. The confused brunette looked up into narrowed green eyes as the black-haired girl poked her soundly on the chest. "What are _you_ doing with my Natsume?" she asked in an accusatory tone of voice. Her eyes narrowed further as she took in Mikan's ruffled hair and baggy clothes. Backing up, she wrinkled her nose. "And where are your wings?" Mikan's mouth dropped open as she took in the feathery protrusions arching gracefully from the annoyed girl's back.

"Wings?" Mikan asked wonderingly. "Are you an angel?"

"Of course I am," the girl scoffed, "Sumire Shouda, Senior Messenger Angel, at your service." She frowned lightly, nose once again crinkling in distaste. "Well, not _your_ service. I'm saving myself for Natsume, you see. In more ways than one." She winked conspiratorially at the last remark. "Anyway, what are you, a mortal, doing with my Natsume?"

Mikan fiddled with her new bracelet. This girl was an angel? She seemed so snobby! _The best I can do now, though, is pump her for information. Plus, she seems nice; we may even be able to be friends! It could get a little lonely down here with just Natsume and Mirror-boy..._"Does everyone get wings?"

"Obviously not," Sumire sneered. "The Devil and his servants don't have them. Hotaru doesn't either, although I suppose she isn't exactly an angel or a demon anyway."

"Hotaru..." Mikan mused. "That's the girl at the Crossroads!"

"A point for the dummy," Sumire stated sarcastically. "The Crossroads aren't anybody's territory. That girl is a species unto herself."

Mikan smiled and began loading the dishwasher again. "She seemed...nice?"

Sumire shuddered at the statement and groaned. "Never say that again!" She leaned closer, wings brushing the wall. "Just between you and me, though, Hotaru and Ruka are totally in love. But neither of them are willing to admit it, so don't tell anyone, okay?"

"How do you know?" Mikan asked as she straightened up and turned on the dishwasher.

"Weren't you listening? Mortals..." Sumire sighed exasperatedly. "It's because I'm the Messenger Angel. Those two exchange more mail than anyone I've ever met - dead or alive."

"I didn't ask earlier, but I was wondering...how did you know that I was a mortal?"

"Easy. You don't have wings, so you can't be an angel. But you can't be a demon either, because the only female demon is Koizumi. You do _not_ want to get mixed up with her." The black-haired girl frowned. "She's engaged to my Natsume. I'll make him break it off for sure! He doesn't love her anyway."

_Engaged? _Mikan thought. _But I didn't see a ring..._

"Anyway, you got me all mixed up!" Sumire complained, throwing her hands up into the air. "I heard there was a new girl down here so I just _had_ to come see for myself! State your name and business."

Mikan drew herself up. "My name is Mikan Sakura and I'm here to rescue my soul so I can wake up from a coma!"

Sumire stepped back, shocked. "Natsume took you on? He hasn't done that in ages!"

"Really?" Mikan asked, taking a step forward as Sumire backed up.

The flustered angel shook her head and her wings flapped once, lifting her back up onto the windowsill. "Good luck, Mikan," she said as she was once again concealed by undulating color, "Winning your soul back won't be easy." She disappeared into the path of light, which in turn slowly faded back up to the star.

Mikan stumbled back to her room around midnight after hours of cleaning the kitchen. It may have been high-end, but the previous cook obviously hadn't cared much for cleanliness. The brunette hoped that by making Natsume's living space more comfortable, he might begin to warm up to her. Then again, how much time could the Devil possibly spend in the kitchen? Mikan groaned as she slumped down onto her bed.

Rolling over on her stomach, Mikan idly tugged at her bracelet. She had a week to make Natsume like her and she'd already wasted some of her precious time, which left her with six measly days. Using her admittedly sparse arithmetic skills, Mikan decided that she had to win her first star tomorrow, which would give her a day of rest later on. Worrying over her current predicament, she slowly nodded off to sleep.

Miles away, Natsume stood atop a rocky crag overlooking the Underworld. He scanned the pitted ground, remnants of the battle between Heaven, Hell and the High Council. To him, the battle felt like it had just taken place, not that he had been forced to submit to Persona, Chancellor of the Council, one long decade ago. Today was the tenth anniversary of the victory of the Council over Heaven and Hell, the reason for his black mood.

His temper earlier hadn't really been the new girl's fault. _Mikan, was it?_ Natsume felt a small twinge of guilt, although he quickly stifled it. Emotion was weakness, and weakness was painful. Even the damned weren't masochists.

Natsume took one last look at the desolate wasteland before him, turned, and strode back toward the bright palace lights. As the palace doors swung open to admit him, he was assaulted by high-pitched squealing. "Natsume-kun! You've come back!" A short girl with strawberry-blond hair and a cheerful look on her face threw herself into the Devil's arms. He winced at the impact and pried her off, holding her away from his body. The girl before him straightened her pink gown and Natsume blanched at the clashing colors of her hair and dress.

"Luna." He nodded in acknowledgment. Natsume had been fervently hoping to slip into bed quietly, unnoticed by Luna. The aforementioned girl smiled cattily and drew a hand down his cheek.

Looking up into his eyes, she purred, "Missed me?"

With that, Natsume's patience snapped. "Koizumi, get off me. And no, I've never missed you, in fact, I _enjoy_ time away from you," he snarled, disgusted.

"Natsume-kun." Luna smirked up at him, sliding her other hand up his chest. "You wouldn't want me to go complaining to daddy, right?"

"Can't fight your own battles?" The black-haired boy practically growled.

Luna giggled and flipped her hair over a slim shoulder. "You _have_ to love me, Natsume-kun, you have no choice in the matter. Unless you want daddy to...'rearrange' his staff..."

"Leave Ruka out of this." Natsume's crimson eyes flashed angrily.

"Kiss me, then," Luna tilted her head up, "Since you love me so much."

Natsume steeled his will, squeezed his eyes shut, and pecked Luna on the lips. He drew away quickly enough to merit a case of whiplash.

Luna pouted. "That's not very nice, Natsume-kun. You never told me you love me."

"Don't hold your breath." With that, Natsume stalked off, disappearing into a nearby mirror.

Unbeknownst to him, Luna smiled as he stomped away. Soon he would be all hers and she would _make _him love her.

Mikan awoke early, intent on cooking Natsume a delicious meal to make up for her failure to do so the night before. She stumbled out of bed and rubbed her eyes, eternally grateful that she had her own bathroom. She brushed her teeth quickly with the conveniently placed toothbrush and toothpaste, and drew her newly found brush through her hair. Looking up into the mirror, she jumped back as neat script began to spiral across the surface.

_Breakfast is at 8:00 am and it's already 7:40, so I suggest you hurry!_

_-Koko_

The brunette mentally chided herself; apparently she hadn't woken up as early as she had thought. Pulling on her only clothes, her outfit from the day before, she sprinted down the hallway and into the kitchen. She began chopping ham, bacon and green peppers for an omelet.

"What are you doing?" Mikan jumped for a second time and whirled around. Nastume stood in the doorjamb, frowning lightly. "I don't eat breakfast."

"You don't...what? Everyone eats breakfast!"

"Well then, I'm not everyone. Regardless, make me a cup of coffee and bring it out to the dining room." Mikan stared dumbly at him; she'd never met anyone who didn't eat breakfast. "Well, what are you waiting for?" he asked. "Hurry up!" He turned and left the kitchen.

Mikan bustled about, searching for coffee beans, and made Natsume a cup of black coffee. She assumed that somebody like him would want their coffee plain, but she brought a few sugar packets with her just in case. "Here you go," she said as she placed the cup before him. She stiffened suddenly. "I forgot the omelet!" she cried as she sprinted back into the kitchen. Thankfully, it wasn't burnt. She slid it onto a plate, placed it in the refrigerator and went out to join Natsume.

Perching on the edge of the chair beside him, she gathered her courage. "Natsume, um, Sir?"

"You can call me 'Natsume-sama," he winked, leering at her over the rim of his coffee cup.

"I will not!" Mikan frowned childishly. "Anyway, Natsume, can I ask you something?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued. "Is there any way I can see my mother? I don't know what happened to her after the crash, and I'm really worried!"

Natsume stared into his coffee before glancing back up at Mikan. She noted absentmindedly that his laundry needed to be done; there was a faint stain on the collar of his shirt. Then again, he looked like he had just gotten out of bed. She blushed faintly at the thought and Natsume smirked again. "Anything for you, Princess," he stated sarcastically. "But what's in it for me?"

"I don't really have anything to give you..." Mikan slumped back in her seat, defeated. _But I have to know if mom is alright!_

"Exactly." Natsume's crimson eyes sparkled with poorly disguised mirth. "You're just a pitiful mortal. But," Mikan perked back up as he continued, "I suppose I can do this one thing for you, although you will be in my debt."

"Please?" Mikan pleaded, she _had _to know if her mother was okay.

Natsume snapped his fingers and Koko appeared out of a nearby mirror. He stared into Natsume's eyes, nodded minutely, and then pulled a wooden box from the mirror behind him. The crimson-eyed boy took the box and handed it to Mikan, who flipped the lid open and gasped. Plucking a beautiful silver mirror from the box, she sighed happily as Koko disappeared once again. "It's just like Beauty and the Beast!" she stated happily. "That was my favorite movie when I was little!"

"So I'm Beauty and you're the Beast?" Natsume questioned jokingly.

"What!?" Mikan screeched, outraged. "I'm Beauty, of course!"

"Sure," Natsume chuckled at the look on her face.

"Don't laugh at me!" Mikan turned a rather becoming shade of pink. "Wait," she smiled, "you're laughing!" This was the first time she'd seen Natsume laugh. Even though Mikan had only known him for a day, she could read people well enough to know that he wasn't the type to walk around with such a happy look on his face.

Natsume couldn't help but smile. It had been ages since he had last felt this way, ever since, well...But, regardless, there was something about Mikan that, oddly enough, made him want to smile.

Mikan laughed, "Not so tough now, are you, Mr. Devil?"

"Here," Natsume said as he schooled his countenance back into an expressionless facade. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a small silver star, and pushed it across the table to Mikan. "You've earned it." The second he did so, he regretted the gesture.

Grinning ear to ear, Mikan fastened the star onto her bracelet. "Thank you so mu-"

Natsume interrupted her, pushing back his chair and standing. _Emotion is weakness, emotion is weakness, emotion is weakness, _he chanted over and over again in his head. What had he been thinking, taking on another girl like this? "Don't get cocky, little girl. I'm not going to go easy on you and I have absolutely no intention of bringing you back to life!"

Mikan watched, open-mouthed, as Natsume glided from the room. _What just happened?_

**tbc**

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**Author's Note**: I hope you all liked this chapter! I did attempt to make it a bit longer, but I'm just not very good at writing long chapters... D:

Thank you very much to my reviewers! : jazziscool, moonacre99, -obscurite. havre-, babee-angel, crimsoneyes44, Shubhs, Cookie Craze, AnnabelleAnneKC, luna cherFer, Your Conscience, and Heartbroken Confession

Drop me a review and tell me what you think! Revised March 23, 2010.

~SL~


	4. Contemplation

**Disclaimer: **Christmas has passed and no paperwork has come from Japan. So, to answer your question, no. I don't own Gakuen Alice.

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**The Devil Himself**

_Natsume had never believed in star-crossed lovers or love at first sight until he met her. And then he desperately  
wanted to don his shining armor and find his own Happy Ending._

_-Shinigami's Lullaby_

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**Dedicated **to **Indigo Grapefruit**for the wonderfully insightful  
and kind review and to **Jazziscool **for caring more about  
what happened to the omelet than Natsume's  
mood-swings. Thank you.

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**Chapter Three: Contemplation**

Mikan stomped from the dining room, fuming. She'd thought she was actually getting somewhere! Mr. Devil, Natsume Hyuuga, had been opening up to her, and then all of the sudden he was back to Mr. 'I'm too cool for you.' Her stomach grumbled angrily and the frustrated brunette realized that she hadn't yet eaten breakfast. She backtracked to the kitchen, retrieved her omelet from the refrigerator and pulled a fork from the drawer helpfully labeled 'utensils.'

The walls practically shook as she continued her crusade down the hallway, footsteps interrupted by the occasional angry bite from her omelet. Mikan turned the corner, smacked into something squishy, and watched in disbelief as her breakfast flew off of her plate in slow motion and splattered across the front of the girl she had just bumped into.

"I'm so sorry!" Mikan exclaimed, watching in horror as cheese, ham, and green peppers slid down the girl's pink dress.

"What are you doing?" The girl tentatively brushed at her outfit and glared at Mikan.

"I'm really sorry; I'm new here and I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No, I mean, why are you still standing there?" the girl interjected snobbishly. "My father is going to have you gutted. Who hired you?"

The flustered brunette blushed and continued to apologize fervently, "I'm so sorry! I'll get you a washcloth or something. Wait, your father? I thought Natsume was in charge." Mikan's eyes widened, "Oh my god. You're Natsume's love child! Aren't you a little young, though?"

"Natsume in charge? That's a new one," the girl jeered. "My name is Luna Koizumi, and my father is Persona, the Chancellor. And no, Natsume-kun isn't my father, he's my fiancé."

"Chancellor?" Mikan asked. _Isn't the Devil supposed to be in charge of Hell?_ _Oh, so this is Natsume's fiancé…she seems like a total bitch. They go well together._

"Are you an idiot? Chancellor of the High Council." Luna rolled her eyes. "You know, the Council that rules over Heaven and Hell? Humans are so stupid." _Something rules over Heaven and Hell? Why have I never heard of the Council then, if it's so important?_ "I'm not your History teacher!" The strawberry-blond complained. "My daddy rules over everything, which means I rule over you. So who hired you? I'm totally going to fire them."

"Well…" Mikan mused, "Nobody really hired me... Natsume took me on, though, I guess."

"He what?" Luna screeched angrily, misunderstanding completely. "How could he? We're going to get married; he can't just pick up some random mortal!"

Mikan frowned confusedly and then decided that messing around with this Luna girl could be entertaining. "He told me he loved me. You can't be his fiancé! I am. See, look at this bracelet he gave me," she said as she held out her arm for Luna's angry inspection. Just when Luna looked as if she might explode, Natsume rounded the corner, hands casually stuffed in his pockets.

Taking an inadvertent step backwards, Mikan couldn't help but marvel once again at Natsume's exotic looks. He was absolutely beautiful, more so than any other man she had ever met. The brunette sighed as she noted that the arms of his white dress shirt were rolled up to his elbows, showcasing his corded arms. All at once, she was struck with an inexplicable urge to run her hands through his undoubtedly soft black hair.

Interrupting her contemplations, Luna shoved Mikan aside and rounded on Natsume. "I thought you loved me, Natsume-kun. How could you get together with-" At that moment, the one-star realized that Luna was about to discover her bluff and hurtled forward, stopping the girl mid-tirade.

She stomped on Luna's foot, eliciting a small cry from the strawberry-blond, before tugging Natsume down and molding her lips to his. As soon as she felt him stiffen, she realized the implication of her actions and blushed. Natsume was cold and unresponsive under her and she quickly stepped back, putting a hand on his chest and facing Luna. "He loves me, not you, so back off!" She hid a smile as Luna turned bright-red and practically flew down the corridor, leaving behind a trail of omelet bits.

Mikan sighed when she realized that now she had to face Natsume. She blushed again when she remembered the feeling of his lips on hers. Turning slowly, the brunette raised her head to look into Natsume's wide crimson eyes. "Do you want to explain that?" he asked. "I know I'm unbearably sexy, but that was unexpected to say the least."

He backed Mikan up against a wall, completely oblivious to the fact that his fiancé had just fled the scene and was presumably running off to her father, close to tears. Pressing herself up against the wall, intent on staying as far away from Natsume as possible, Mikan began, "Your fiancé is such a loser! I mean all I did was get some omelet on her and she got all offended. Anyway, I told her that we were in love just to make her mad and I didn't want her to find out that I was lying. So…" she started to edge back down the hallway. "Kissing you was the only way I could think of to make her believe that I was telling the truth; I'm really sorry! I don't like you or anything."

She shivered at Natsume's piercing gaze and prayed fervently to whoever was listening that he wouldn't hate her. She may have just given up her last chance at life! The blood drained from Mikan's face when she realized that she had just _kissed_ the Devil. The Devil! At least it hadn't been her first kiss; she had lost that years ago to one of the dorkiest boys at school. She blanched at the memory and continued to edge away from Natsume, who had begun to grin, well, demonically.

"Mikan." Natsume smirked down at her before continuing, "I should be angry because you had the audacity to kiss me. But you got that Koizumi bitch off of my back, so thank you, Mikan Sakura, for scaring off my Hitler of a girlfriend. Not that I needed your help," he added stubbornly

Sighing deeply, she slid down to the floor. "Whew, I thought I had just killed myself! So why are you getting married to her again? I mean, she's a total bitch and doesn't deserve you at all."

Natsume smirked. "And you do?"

"No, I mean not even a bitch like her deserves someone as awful as you. Stupid head." Mikan pouted.

"Hmm…" The black-haired boy moved closer, breathing in Mikan's oddly enticing sunshine scent. As he stepped forward, fingering a strand of her honey-brown hair, he wondered when he had begun to let himself feel this comfortable around her.

She wasn't any different than the other girls he had brought down to Hell. She wasn't spectacularly beautiful, or intelligent for that matter. She inconvenienced and annoyed him, but she had made him laugh. He couldn't deny the innate attraction that he felt for her.

Her lips had been soft on his and it was all he could do to keep himself from crushing her to him and indulging in her heady scent. There was something about her that made him want to tear out his hair in aggravation and laugh out loud from the sheer absurdity of it all. She was a mortal and he yet could barely keep his hands off of her. He wrinkled his forehead and decided that there must be something very wrong with him. They were sick, these feelings of desire and longing.

Natsume had never believed in star-crossed lovers or love at first sight until he met her. And then he desperately wanted to don his shining armor and find his own Happy Ending.

The crimson-eyed boy raised a hand to the soft skin of Mikan's cheek as she looked questioningly up at him. He had only just met her but he felt like he had known her for years. When he was with her, he could forget about everything. About Luna, Persona and even his own flaws.

Mikan frowned up at him and wondered why he had been staring so intensely at her for the last couple of minutes. To be honest, it was beginning to make her a bit nervous. "Natsume?" she asked, nudging him with her foot. "Are we done here? Can I go?"

Color flooded into her cheeks as Natsume leaned in closer. "Thank you, Mikan," he murmured huskily, slipping a silver star into her small hand before stuffing his hands back into his pockets and strolling down the hallway.

**.tbc.**

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**a/n: **Thank you, everyone, for being patient with me and this absurdly short chapter. For whatever reason, that just seemed to be the right place to end it. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

Also, zagogay and I have a collaboration account, Azreil, and we wrote the first chapter for our new story, **"Nothing Short of Godly."** You all know you want to read it! :D The link is on my profile, let us know what you think of the first chapter!

Thank you to my reviewers: Jazziscool, AnnabelleAnneKC, Sweetest Wishes, Wishing You Knew, simplicity's control, Neko Tama-chan, -obscurite. havre-, moonacre99, Cookie Craze (for yet another ridiculously long review :D), Shubhs, mimimisuda2, and Indigo Grapefruit.

Drop me a review and tell me what you think! Revised March 23, 2010.

~SL~


	5. Proviso e Inferno

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Gakuen Alice.**

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**The Devil Himself**

_Blue you sit so pretty_  
_West of the one,_  
_Sparkles light with yellow icing_  
_Just a mirror for the sun..._

_So much as come before those battles lost and won,_  
_This life is shining more forever in the sun._  
_Now let us check our heads,_  
_And let us check the surf._  
_Staying high and dry's_  
_More trouble than its worth,_  
_In the sun._

_Your smiling eyes are just a mirror for..._

-Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Road Trippin''

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**Chapter Four: Proviso e Inferno**

Luna Koizumi stood on the dusty High Plains of Hell, angrily kicking at an unfortunate rock. Her father crouched beside her, examining rather suspicious looking tracks that seemed to lead straight back to the palace. "Daddy..." she whined, "Natsume-kun is being mean to me! That stupid girl from Earth said they were getting married! What about me?"

"Relax, dear," Persona replied. "I'm sure he wasn't serious..."

"Will you please get rid of that nasty little girl?" Luna pleaded, failing spectacularly in her attempt to make a puppy-dog face.

Her father heaved a long-suffering sigh and straightened. "If he really does feel some sort of attachment to that girl, I don't want to do anything to anger him. We're walking on thin ice, darling. Natsume is becoming increasingly powerful as we speak and, combined with Ruka's forces, he is already strong enough to threaten our reign. As such, I must be as diplomatic as possible when dealing with your future husband."

"But daddy!" Luna complained, "He made me cry!"

Persona rubbed his temples in a vain attempt to relieve his growing headache.

"Please?" The strawberry-blond asked, drawing the word out and putting her hands together in a disturbingly angelic pose.

"Fine," her father said, sighing once again. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, daddy," Luna called over her shoulder, already on her way back to the palace, "You're the greatest!"

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Meanwhile, still in shock from Natsume's generous gift of Star #2, Mikan wandered aimlessly through the hallways of Hell until she found herself climbing the steep spiral staircase leading to the top of the uppermost spire of the castle. It had taken her quite a while to reach this point in her exploration, but Koko had told her that Natsume was going out for lunch, and that she had the rest of the day free. Mikan wiped a bead of sweat from her brow and continued trudging up the seemingly never-ending staircase, her journey only interrupted by glimpses of the velvety blackness outside through barely-there windows.

The staircase finally came to an end, stopping abruptly in a small circular room. Tapestries depicting the struggles between God and Lucifer, or, well, the Devil, covered the walls, and layers upon layers of dust coated the room. Mikan collapsed into a little pile, attempting not to breathe in too much dust as she struggled to draw in a breath of fresh air. She growled in irritation when she realized that her entire journey had been in vain. Aside from the tapestries, the room was completely bare. She had been hoping to find some sort of hidden treasure, at the very least!

She shifted around on the stone floor in an attempt to find a comfortable position, and noticed something peculiar. The small area behind the emerging staircase was free of dust. Mikan stood and walked over to the aforementioned space, dragging her hand over the clean portion. She hadn't before thought it odd that the staircase seemed remarkably clean in comparison to the rest of the room. Maybe somebody did come up here, at least to clean the stairs? She edged around behind the stairs and shrieked when the cracked and weathered stones she stepped on shifted, revealing a small, black chamber.

Quickly taking a step away, Mikan summoned up her courage and tentatively stuck her hand into the hole – maybe this secret space hid the treasure that she sought! Her hands closed over a bulky object and she slowly pulled it up into the room, which was lit by the single star through a small window in the ceiling. She held what she now saw to be a rather dusty book into the starlight. The thick book was bound in plain black leather, and Mikan frowned when she realized that all of the pages were blank. She dropped the book as if it had caught fire, which it might as well have. The pages were practically glowing!

Starlight streamed in through the warped glass window, collecting in the pages of the book and formulating into neat rows of black letters. The light finally, after what felt like hours to Mikan, dimmed, leaving behind a slim book bound in blue velvet. The phrase '_Proviso e Inferno_' spiraled across the cover in bright green ink.

Mikan gently poked the book, and reassured that it did not, in fact, bite, she cradled it to her chest and practically sprinted back down the steps. She reached the ground floor in record time and hurried down the hallway to the dining hall, hoping that Natsume would be there waiting for his dinner. And wait he had, and for quite some time at that. He had wondered minutes before if Koko hd told his charge that he would be out for dinner as well as lunch.

As she bent down before him, a hand on her knee, attempting to regulate her breathing, Natsume's breath hitched as he recognized the book in her arms. "Where did you get that?" he demanded, frowning down at Mikan.

"This?" Mikan asked, holding the book up proudly, "I found it while I was exploring! But actually, I was planning to ask you about it. What is '_Proviso e Inferno_?'"

"That means 'Heaven and Hell' in Italian. But you shouldn't be poking your nose where it doesn't belong." Natsume's eyes burned into Mikan's. "That book was hidden for a reason."

Mikan had never pretended to be tactful. "But why? It's really a very pretty book," she smiled as she smoothed her hand over the blue velvet.

"Memories," Natsume answered shortly. He leaned forward and snatched the book from her grasp, throwing it into a nearby mirror. "Now where's my dinner?"

The brunette gasped at his throwing away of her days work. "Th-that," she stuttered angrily.

"What?" The black-haired devil stared down at her, corners of his mouth twitching up in a smirk.

"You… you… insufferable!" Mikan fumed. "You can starve for all I care!" With that, she turned and flounced off to her room, muttering obscenities under her breath. That bastard had just ruined her appetite.

Natsume turned back to the fire before him, stomach growling loudly. He couldn't quite find it in his heart to be truly mad at the girl, her face, flushed with anger, had merely endeared her to him further. But, he frowned again, he didn't want her to get caught up in the affairs of immortals. Such a thing would only end in pain. Whether his or her own, he did not know.

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Elsewhere, a certain Hotaru and Ruka were taking part in their first argument. Ruka brushed his blond hair from his eyes as he gently tugged at Bunnyboo's, his pet rabbit's, wings. "Hotaru-chan," he reasoned, "I already promised Natsume that I wouldn't try anything against Persona. He was able to defeat us so easily before, and we don't know the full extent of his power. It's not safe."

The black-haired girl before him shook her head in disgust. "I wouldn't have said yes if I had known I would be dating a coward, Ruka. He's controlling your life! You're God. The Creator! You're supposed to rule over heaven, not be controlled by some upstart escapee from Hell!"

Ruka's cheeks turned pink. "Hotaru-chan, don't blame this on Natsume. He's just trying to protect me."

"Well he's doing a great job of it," the receptionist shot back. "He's just a puppet for 'Sir. High Chancellor.'" She practically spit the title.

"We're doing our best." Bunnyboo flinched back as Ruka tugged a bit too hard.

Hotaru sighed and stood. "I know you are..." she conceded. "It's a difficult situation. But if that bastard ever tries to take over the Crossroads...well, he's going to have to answer to me."

Ruka chuckled and then clapped a hand over his mouth when he saw Hotaru's glare. "Well..." he said shakily as he stood,"...if I were him, I'd be scared witless."

"Good," Hotaru smiled uncharacteristically sweetly before drawing Ruka down into a long kiss.

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As Hotaru and Ruka made up, Mikan pouted in her bedroom. This sucked. Natsume probably hated her! But then again, it was definitely his fault. She had made an interesting discovery, and he had thrown it into some random mirror. "Ugghhh..." she groaned, rolling over on her bed and stuffing her head into her pillow.

A tapping sound on her window drew Mikan from her murderous delusions. She heaved herself up and walked over to the window, cautiously unlatching it and sticking her head outside. As soon as she did so, a figure catapulted in, taking Mikan with them. The two landed in an undignified pile on the ground. The person - a boy with spiky black hair and a star-shaped tattoo under one of his electric blue eyes - straddled Mikan and put her hands above her head.

"Wh-what!?" she stuttered, attempting to free herself from the intruder's grip. Mikan bucked up with all of her strength and in response, the stranger leaned closer.

"You don't want to do that, sweetheart," he grinned in an all too friendly manner.

"Who are you?" Mikan demanded, twisting in his grip.

The boy smiled again before pulling the startled brunette to her feet, forcing her down on the bed, and tying her wrists behind her back. "My name's Tsubasa Andou. But you can call me 'Master,'" he winked.

"Um...Tsubasa? What are you doing? I didn't realize Natsume was _this _mad at me..." Mikan gasped as the black-haired teen - he had to be at least her age, most likely a couple of years older - hefted her over his shoulder.

Tsubasa snorted. "That bastard? I have nothing to do with him. Not that the guy I work for is much better... The Chancellor is my boss."

"What?! What could Persona possibly want with me? I've never even met him! Let me go!" Mikan screeched loudly in Tsubasa's ear. He winced before stepping up onto the window ledge, still holding onto the struggling brunette tightly.

"Beats me," he commented offhandedly, tapping his star-shaped tattoo before jumping out the window.

**tbc**

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**A/N**: Hey all! I'm so sorry for this freakishly long wait, I just haven't really been inspired to write much recently. This chapter is pretty short, but it does give insight into the relationship between Persona, Ruka and Natsume, and it was necessary to set up the plot for the next couple chapters. This is the point at which the storyline moves away from the 5 stars idea, although I will return to that later. And I introduced Tsubasa! I love the guy; he's my favorite GA character.... :)

Thank you to all of my reviewers for the last chapter, I love you all: The Random Artist, Hannahbluenanna13XD, LNLestrangexx, teh-crazeh-one, moonacre99, jazziscool, AnnabelleAnneKC, crimsoneyes44, Shubhs, -, Cookie Craze, Unfading Beauty, NekoTama-chan, Tsuki's Angel, brokenpromise04, I am the Wind Mizuki Kay, simplicity's control, Ayu Kiyusuki and AnimeChixsta7 (Your review was the funniest thing of my life, just by the way... :D)

Oh and I'll be posting the first chapter of a new story titled '**The Resistance**' a bit later, so I'd love for you all to check that out too! Anyway... leave me a review and tell me what you think!

Ella


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